Brett Walker – Rock Ferry

November 2017

Man who was caught with 90,000 child abuse images is spared jail because he ‘wouldn’t survive prison’

A perverted 27-year-old with an ‘insatiable appetite’ for sex abuse photos who hoarded 91,169 indecent images of children was spared prison today.

Over a 10-year period, Brett Walker collected videos and photos that featured children as young as six being raped but told police paedophiles should be castrated when he was arrested.

He was handed a 16-week jail sentence – suspended for two years – because he ‘would not survive prison’ after appearing at Liverpool Crown Court

Walker downloaded the material between December 2007 and July 2016, with 968 of the images – included 255 videos – rated Category A, the most serious for sentencing guidelines

Of the other images, 976 fell into Category B and 88,152 came under Category C.

Walker pleaded guilty to three counts of downloading indecent images of children and possessing 91,169 indecent images.

He also admitted one count of possessing animal porn.

Louise McCloskey, prosecuting, said: ‘As a result of an ongoing operation by Merseyside Police a particular IP (internet protocol) address from a computer was identified and was designated as having viewed and downloaded indecent images of children.’

The investigation led police to search an address on July 20 last year and subsequent computer examination recovered the material recovered that led to Brett Walker’s was arrest, when Ms McCloskey said he denied being interested in indecent images of children.

Ms McCloskey said Walker became ‘very distressed’ when he was interviewed later following further examination of the computers.

‘He said he could not put his family through it and he needed help, and was a “f****** idiot”,’ she said.

He told police ‘he knew it was wrong’ and admitted downloading the images on eDonkey – a peer-to-peer file sharing site.

John Ballam, defending, said his client suffered from ‘autism’, would learn no lessons in prison and wanted help.

‘The fact is he has clear problems which he wishes to address,’ he said.

‘He’s not going to survive in prison and he is certainly not going to learn any lesson in prison.’

Walker, from Rock Ferry, was found to be suitable for a sex offenders’ course.

Sentencing, Judge Clement Goldstone QC said Walker’s claim not to be sexually interested in children ‘may have been a defence mechanism’ and described him as ‘an intelligent young man who has significant problems’.

‘One of those problems was that over a 10-year period, beginning when you were 17, you had an insatiable appetite to see pornographic imagery, varying from the least serious to the ultimate in seriousness and perversity,’ he said.

‘I have no doubt that someone of your intelligence fully understood that the type of offending… has victims.

‘The victims are those who are exposed and exploited because if there was not such a high demand for this pornographic material those children would not be at such risk – but they are.’

He said Walker’s autism, remorse and willingness to get help meant the sentence could be suspended.

Walker was ordered to attend the course and 20 Rehabilitation Activity days with the Probation Service.

He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order limiting his internet usage severely.